Gastrodiplomacy for the People ❤︎ is a community-based, cross-cultural movement ➠ designed for those of us who are setting the table for a different world. 🌐︎ It is inspired by James Beard Hall of Famer Chef Pierre Thiam ⫸ and his lifetime work of addressing the world’s biggest ⫘ challenges through food. ✺ The movement grows with community meals, youth education, ✎ and your partnership.☻

Image showing Chef Pierre teaching a group of young students a cooking class in a culinary classroom

Image showing a group dinner in a rustic barn at the Eames Ranch during sunset

Photo by Nico Zurcher, Courtesy of the Eames Institute.

Our work shows up in the world in two main ways:

01

Food as Heritage ✎

YOUTH EDUCATION & STORYTELLING

Our hands-on cooking experiences reach students and families in under-resourced schools and community centers, bringing nutrition education and cultural knowledge to places where it’s often missing. We help all people see food not just as fuel, but as a living reflection of heritage, environment, and identity. Through chef’s visits, garden integration, and culturally rooted lessons, students learn how to connect with each other diplomatically and find a deeper connection to the food they grow, prepare, and share with others.

Chef Pierre teaches an Oakland school class a cooking demo in a commercial looking kitchen space

Chef Pierre poses with two Oakland USD staff in aprons holding bags of Fonio grains and smiling

Chef Pierre shows students in a culinary demo how to make fonio sushi rolls.

Chef Pierre poses in front of a bright red wall holding a children's book from a volunteer session

Black thin line illustration of students posing with Chef Pierre during a cooking class

02

Food as Diplomacy ✺

UNIQUE CULTURAL FOOD EXPERIENCES

We produce unique dining pop-ups that spotlight nutrient-rich, underutilized ingredients—often in partnership with great organizations that have exponential impact. These experiences serve our most important partners and supporters and their communities, creating space for cross-cultural learning, storytelling, and shared meals that build empathy and understanding across lines of difference. By honoring the people and histories behind each dish, we use food as a tool for cultural diplomacy and health equity.